Norcold 1200 not cooling properly

[mhansen]

This spring I purchased a 2006 Camelot. I have never felt the fridge cools very well. After a 10 day trip earlier this month, I spent several hours trying to troubleshoot the problem. I thought I would throw this out there for ideas from all the more experienced RV'rs.

Here is what I have found out so far. The freezer seems to work just fine all the time. It makes ice and freezes water bottles.

The lower unit acts differently. When parked in a garage on AC or LP, it cools just fine. It will frost up the fins on the back.

When driving down the road or parked in camp, the lower portion doesn't seem to cool very well. I have tried it on LP and AC. Once it seemed to work better on AC when driving down the road but the next time it didn't matter. Same for in camp, I have had it work for a day on LP but then quit cooling very well. The next time it wouldn't cool on LP or AC.

The burner looks clean and the flame looks very good. I made sure the flue was not blocked. I tested the thermistor and it seems to function fairly close to normal based on the service manual.

The 2 fans that are suppose to come on at a certain temperature do work but don't come on very often. The only time I heard them come on was after I was driving for a couple hours and that side was in the sun the whole time.

It doesn't appear to matter what the outside temperature is. I have had it not work at 70 or 90. The oddest part is it appears to work just fine when I have it parked in the garage running on AC. Also the freezer always works.

When I say it does not cool very well, it gets the temp to the mid-40's and the fin's on the back are not frosted or always wet.

I have checked the recalls and it doesn't appear to include mine. The only thing I can see from the service manual is that the clearances on the back of the unit between the condenser and wall seem much greater than they recommend.

Any ideas?

[mhansen]

This spring I purchased a 2006 Camelot. I have never felt the fridge cools very well. After a 10 day trip earlier this month, I spent several hours trying to troubleshoot the problem. I thought I would throw this out there for ideas from all the more experienced RV'rs.

Here is what I have found out so far. The freezer seems to work just fine all the time. It makes ice and freezes water bottles.

The lower unit acts differently. When parked in a garage on AC or LP, it cools just fine. It will frost up the fins on the back.

When driving down the road or parked in camp, the lower portion doesn't seem to cool very well. I have tried it on LP and AC. Once it seemed to work better on AC when driving down the road but the next time it didn't matter. Same for in camp, I have had it work for a day on LP but then quit cooling very well. The next time it wouldn't cool on LP or AC.

The burner looks clean and the flame looks very good. I made sure the flue was not blocked. I tested the thermistor and it seems to function fairly close to normal based on the service manual.

The 2 fans that are suppose to come on at a certain temperature do work but don't come on very often. The only time I heard them come on was after I was driving for a couple hours and that side was in the sun the whole time.

It doesn't appear to matter what the outside temperature is. I have had it not work at 70 or 90. The oddest part is it appears to work just fine when I have it parked in the garage running on AC. Also the freezer always works.

When I say it does not cool very well, it gets the temp to the mid-40's and the fin's on the back are not frosted or always wet.

I have checked the recalls and it doesn't appear to include mine. The only thing I can see from the service manual is that the clearances on the back of the unit between the condenser and wall seem much greater than they recommend.

Any ideas?

[nodine]

I am just guessing here, but it could be when you are driving down the road the flue stops flowing air due to a higher pressure at the top of the flue than the bottom. If you only stay at a campsite for a day or two the frig may not have time to completely recover from the road trip. Just a thought. I suspect the same thing is happening with our Norcold.

Bob

[Sixpack98]

I would think the boiler fans are supposed to come on when cooling is called for - cooling cycle (thermostat closes). We have the same model as yours and it cools equally as well on LC or AC. The Freezer will typically reach about 1 or 2 degrees and the refer portion about 35 degrees.

Nodine makes an excellent point about the drafting being impacted while driving. Have you defrosted the unit lately. Also, absorption Refers can crystalize the ammonia and impact cooling and are very susceptible to unlevel operation.

mark

[William Willard]

I have a 14cf Dometic Side Wise - After a long hot day (10 hours from Phoenix to Moab UT)The temp was 28 in the freezer side & 46 in the other -- Had to buy dry ice to bring the temp down -- Outside temp is 103-- My question is, can I run the frig on the inverter while traveling? There are two seperate 110v outlets behind the frig -- One is for the icemaker,& that is on the inverter == I never use that, so it would be a easy switch-- This frig is in the slideout, so it don`t have a roof vent, just 2 side vents -- Bill Willard

[bborc]

Mhansen I had the same problem with our 07 Knight. Going down the road it would not stay cold. It did better on ac but still wasn't great. I took it to the Ind service center and they boxed in the rear of the refer and reset the lp pressure regulator. Just got back from a 2 week trip to KY with temps in the 90's and it worked good.Used lp the whole time. I think the fans are temp controled by the temps in the back of the refer not the inside temp or wether the refer is calling for cooling.

[Sixpack98]

I don't see why you could not use an inverter. The load is resisive and not inductive (a motor). Maybe we have been lucky or I'm oblivious but I have not had a problem while traveling. Temp is about the same as sitting still. I had to move the thermistor cause the refer portion was getting too cold (about 34 or 35 degrees.

mark

[Sixpack98]

Hey William, where you guys at these days?

mark

[mhansen]

I have completely defrosted the unit. It remains off 90% of the time and just when I travel do I turn it on.

The fans are wired to a temp sensor that is attached to the condenser. The service manual indicates this turns the fans on at 130 degrees and off at 115.

The only thing I can see wrong based on the manual is lack of a baffle between the back and the wall of the coach. I have over an inch in most places. I wanted to hear if anyone else had a similar issue before I pull the unit out to install some baffles. Sounds like bborc may have had similar issues.

Does anyone know how I would reset the LP pressure regulator? Where is it located?

[RV Wizard]

mhansen, you should be able to installa baffle at the bottom to meet the needs. You will need a monometer connected in the lp gas line and put the system under a good load like the furnace to set the lp regulator correctly. THe regulator is located at the tank and has a threaded on cap to protect the adjustment screw. Screwing in, increases pressure. Out decreases pressure. Be sure to do a drop pressure test, or at least soap bubble test if you open any lines. Good luck.

[William Willard]

Sixpack -- We`re in Moab Utah -- Leaving in the morn for Wy. & then east thru S.Dakota, Duluth MN. Sault Ste Marie MI,then south to Indiana -- From there it depends on the weather -- Seems like each time we get to your part of the country,storms run us back west-- It`s 105 here, but low humidity- This refer has never been that good -- Maybe when we get in the Elkhart area, we can find someone to fix it -- Stay cool -- Bill Willard

[mhansen]

Thanks Mike. I found several ways to build my own manometer. I will build the baffle and set the pressure and see how that works.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Install the baffles to Norcold's specs for side & top clearences. Norcold specifies a maximum clearance and they are really serious about it. My friends parked next to me in their 07 Phaeton just had that problem with their Norcold 1210 - would not cool adequately much of the time. After a couple tries to find out what was wrong, a smart tech finally checked the clearances and found no baffles at all on the top of the cooling unit, far exceeding the Norcold spec (and that was a factory install!). He installed baffles to meet the Norcold spec and the fridge immediately began to cool nicely, 0 in the freezer and 33-35 in the fridge at a moderate setting.

My Norcold 1200 LRIM works fine - a steady 35 in the fridge and 0 in the freezer with the control set to "4".

[Sixpack98]

mhansen, it sounds like you have confirmed that your lack of cooling is not from the usual suspects. Testing for good drafting seems logical at this point. Improper baffling or obstructions can certainly cause eddies or lack of good drafting resulting is loss of cooling. You might look at the fans, ours pretty much stay on constantly when during a cooling cycle.